Device in a yarn winding machine for slackening a yarn end prior to knotting of the same



y 1967 e. E. GILBOS 3,318,542

DEVICE IN A YARN WINDING MACHINE FOR SLACKENING A YARN END PRIOR TO KNOTTING OF THE SAME Filed March 5, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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y 9, 1967 G. E. GILBOS 3,318,542

DEVICE IN A YARN WINDING MACHINE FOR SLACKENING A YARN END PRIOR TO KNOTTING OF THE SAME Filed March 5, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,318,542 DEVICE IN A YARN WINDING MACHINE FOR SLACKENIYG A YARN END PRIOR TO KNOT- TING OF THE SAME George Emiel Gilbos, Bredestraat 240, Alost, Belgium Filed Mar. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 531,601 Claims priority, application Belgium, Aug. 29, 1963, 42,927, Patent 636,740 4 Claims. (Cl. 242--35.6)

This invention is in part a continuation of my copending application S.N. 370,221 filed May 26, 1964, now abandoned.

This invention relates to means in an automatic thread or yarn winding machine for slackening a yarn end prior to knotting of the same with another yarn.

In known types of yarn or thread winding machines a package to be wound is rested on and driven by a yarn guiding drum in front of which is located a knot tying mechanism for joining the yarn end of the package to be wound to the yarn end of a supply spool or bobbin. When the yarn feeding is interrupted, either because of yarn breakage or exhaustion of a supply bobbin, rotation of the drum and package is arrested and the knot tying mechanism becomes operative. Under such conditions the portion of yarn disposed between the package and the knot tying mechanism is caused to be subjected to excessive tension during the knot tying procedure. This may result in breakage of the yarn or in a defective knot which impairs the general quality of the yarn.

In accordance with my invention, I provide means for efiecting a slight reverse rotation of the guiding drum and correspondingly of the package just prior to the knot tying operation so as to slacken the end portion of the yarn on the package and to afford an increase in the length of said end portion whereby proper knot tying of the cooperating yarn ends may be effected. Following said knot tying the aforesaid means operates to rotate the drum in a forward direction to its initial position so that the heretofore slackened yarn end portion is again brought under tension before winding of the yarn on the package again proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in cross-section, illustrating my invention in non-operative position.

FIG. 2 is a similar view but illustrating the parts in operative position.

FIG. 3 is a view generally similar to FIG. 1 and additionally schematically illustrating the operating and control components of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1 a yarn package 1 is rested on and driven by a rotatable grooved thread guiding drum 2 to eiiect a winding of yarn on the package from a supply bobbin, not shown. In the event of breakage of the yarn between the package 1 and the supply bobbin whereby yarn ends 3 and are formed or where it is required to connect the leading end 5 of the yarn of a new supply bobbin to the trailing end 3 of the package 1 being wound, conventional means, not shown, associated with the winding apparatus is rendered effective to find the respective thread ends and to carry the same into a conventional knotter mechanism 4 supported on bracket 7. The yarn end 5 is guided by a guide member 6.

Also supported on bracket 7 is a housing 8 in which is contained a pneumatic cylinder 9 pivotally supported on a spindle 10. Housing 8 is provided with registering openings 11 and 12 through which opposite ends of the cylinder 9 extend. A tension spring 13 has one end attached to a fixed pin 14 with the other end being attached to arm 15 secured to the cylinder 9. As will be 3,318,542 Patented May 9, 1967 ice apparent, the spring 13 biases the cylinder 9 to rock in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, the movement of the cylinder in such direction being limited by a stop pin 16.

The head of cylinder 9 is connected to a conduit 17 communicating with a compressed air source 21 through a solenoid valve 22, having a plunger 22a and inlet and vent ports 23 and 24, respectively. The cylinder 9 includes a reciprocating piston and rod assembly 18 which is biased by a spring 20 to retracted position. Fixed on the free end of the plunger rod of the assembly 18 is a truncated conical actuating member 19 formed of suitable friction material. The valve 22 is controlled by switch 26, actuated by a cam 27 which is part of a series of cams of a program regulator driven by an electric motor 28 controlled by switch 29.

When yarn breakage occurs during the winding of the package 1 or when the leading end of a fresh bobbin must be attached to the trailing end of a package being wound, the particular package and drum are caused to be arrested in registration with the knotter mechanism 4. At such time switch 29 is actuated to close the circuit to the electric motor 28 effecting rotation of cam 27 to close switch 26 to energize solenoid 22. Plunger 22a which normally closes port 23 is caused to move in a direction to open port 23 and to close port 24 so that the pressure fiuid may flow from source 21 to cylinder 9 thereby efiecting movement of the plunger rod assembly 18 and actuating member 19, in an outwardly direction, to the position illustrated in FIG. 2. As will be apparent, the actuating member 19 is caused to move in a direction to engage substantially tangentially against the periphery of drum 2 and is urged into yielding frictional engagement therewith by spring 13. In such movement cylinder 9 rocks about the spindle 10 and the drum 2 is caused to be rotated in a reverse direction, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2, for a short distance corresponding to the linear length of engagement of the actuating member 19 with the periphery of drum 2. This results in a corresponding reverse rotation of package 1 so as to provide a desired slackening or increase in the effective length of the yarn end 3 for knot tying purposes. The program regulator then effects operation of conventional suctional means to draw the yarn ends 3 and 5 into the knotting mechanism 4 which is rendered operative to knot the yarn ends under slackened or relaxed conditions. This efiects a secure joining of the yarn ends thereby avoiding any possibility of impaired knotting.

Upon completion of the knotting operation the solenoid valve 22 is caused to be de-energized upon opening of switch 26 by rotation of cam 27. The valve plunger 22a thereby closes port 23 cutting otf the supply of compressed air to cylinder 9 and opening the vent port 24 in the valve to permit air in the cylinder to be vented to the atmosphere. The spring 20 in the cylinder 9 causes the piston and rod assembly 18 to return to inoperative position, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In such return movement the actuating member 19 still bearing against the periphery of drum 2 effects rotation of the drum in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2, corresponding to the normal Winding direction of the drum. The yarn thereby is tensioned and is conditioned to be wound on the package without the likelihood of breakage resulting from shock.

While the actuating member 19 has been described as being actuated by pneumatic means, it will be understood that said actuating member may be operated by suitable hydraulic, mechanical or electrical means.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not wish to be limited to the specific embodiments shown and described or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of my invention being limited only by the appended claims.'

I claim:

1. In a yarn package winding machine having a driving guide drum for rotating a yarn package, said drum when rotated in a forward direction rotating said yarn package to wind yarn onto said package and when rotated in a reverse direction rotating said yarn package to unwind yarn from said package, a supply bobbin, knotter mechanism, means for drawing the respective yarn ends of said package and bobbin into said knotter mechanism; the combination of means for rotating said drum successively in said directions comprising a member reciprocable in a straight line and arranged to engage the periphery of said drum to elfect limited rotation thereof in said directions, the movement of said member in one direction etfecting said reverse rotation of said drum and the movement of said member in an opposite direction efl ecting said forward rotation of said drum, means to reciprocate said member 1 in synchronism with the operation of said knotter mechanism whereby immediately prior to the knotting of said yarn ends said drum is rotated in said reverse direction to unwind and relax the yarn end of said package and following said knotting of said yarn ends said drum is rotated in said forward direction to tension the knotted yarn ends.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which the reciprocable member includes a friction member and the means to reciprocate said reciprocable member includes a pneumatic cylinder.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2, in which the pneumatic cylinder is pivotally supported, and means for biasing said cylinder in a direction to maintain said friction member in engagement with said drum during the operation of said knotter mechanism.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which the reciprocable member includes an actuating member in the form of a truncated cone.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,224,693 12/1965 Jenny 242-355 STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A YARN PACKAGE WINDING MACHINE HAVING A DRIVING GUIDE DRUM FOR ROTATING A YARN PACKAGE, SAID DRUM WHEN ROTATED IN A FORWARD DIRECTION ROTATING SAID YARN PACKAGE TO WIND YARN ONTO SAID PACKAGE AND WHEN ROTATED IN A REVERSE DIRECTION ROTATING SAID YARN PACKAGE TO UNWIND YARN FROM SAID PACKAGE, A SUPPLY BOBBIN, KNOTTER MECHANISM, MEANS FOR DRAWING THE RESPECTIVE YARN ENDS OF SAID PACKAGE AND BOBBIN INTO SAID KNOTTER MECHANISM; THE COMBINATION OF MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID DRUM SUCCESSIVELY IN SAID DIRECTIONS COMPRISING A MEMBER RECIPROCABLE IN A STRAIGHT LINE AND ARRANGED TO ENGAGE THE PERIPHERY OF SAID DRUM TO EFFECT LIMITED ROTATION THEREOF IN SAID DIRECTIONS, THE MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBER IN ONE DIRECTION EFFECTING SAID REVERSE ROTATION OF SAID DRUM AND THE MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBER IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION EFFECTING SAID FORWARD ROTATION OF SAID DRUM, MEANS TO RECIPROCATE SAID MEMBER IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE OPERATION OF SAID KNOTTER MECHANISM WHEREBY IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE KNOTTING OF SAID YARN ENDS SAID DRUM IS ROTATED IN SAID REVERSE DIRECTION TO UNWIND AND RELAX THE YARN END OF SAID PACKAGE AND FOLLOWING SAID KNOTTING OF SAID YARN ENDS SAID DRUM IS ROTATED IN SAID FORWARD DIRECTION TO TENSION THE KNOTTED YARN ENDS. 